


RWBY: Also Sprach Zarathustra

by Tsuneyoki



Category: Dies Irae (Visual Novel), RWBY, かじりかむいかぐら | Kajiri Kamui Kagura (Visual Novel)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:06:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29696163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsuneyoki/pseuds/Tsuneyoki
Summary: The Eternal Moment didn't take notice about a certain Sensory of his awakening to their true nature until he started perceiving the nature of the world by his Sensory. Now in the body of a certain young man sharing his name in a world riddled with Grimm, Dust and an eternal war between the Queen of Grimm and the Wizard, Ren is now fighting to find a way to return to his Goddess.
Kudos: 3





	1. Prologue: Tact

Lie Ren had his mind asking one question, a single question that had his mind repeated day after day after he and Nora escaped from Kuroyuri... From his home.

Had he known what was going to happen... Would he be able to make a difference?

Had he known the Nuckleavee would attack... Would he be able to prevent it?

No, a part of his mind replied. He was still a child, no one would take him seriously... Not even his parents. But what if? Then everyone could have been saved. He could have saved everyone...

In other words, what Ren asked himself was...

"What would have happened if I had _foreknowledge?"_

Even though he told himself it wouldn't have made a difference, Ren had a feeling he would have been able to prevent the attack. That he would have been able to save his family.

Even as he and Nora journeyed through Vale, lost and confused, he felt that he could have done more... He just knew it, even if he didn't understand the reason. Although, he felt something when he rescued Nora from under that bridge. A desire to live. A strong will to keep going on, to be brave and get her out of Kuroyuri before it was too late. And it wasn't just his Semblance that helped him calm down.

Deep down, Ren felt that he and Nora would be able to survive. That they would escape safely, because _they weren't supposed to die in a place like that._

Ren didn't know the source of that feeling, but he just knew... And, before he saw, both he and Nora left Kuroyuri. And they ran, ran until their legs hurt and kept running, Ren using his Semblance to avoid the Grimm as they made their way to... To a safe place, wherever it may be.

For this night, their safe place was the interior of a dead tree. It was cold, but he and Nora could sleep inside it if they hug each other, not like that was a problem: Nora had reocurring nightmares and the only way to calm her was hugging, so Ren was used to it by now.

Like tonight, for instance.

Ren, however, was too restless to sleep. His mind still ran, still debating what would have happened if he knew about the Nuckleavee and told everyone in advance. And, as he sat,he saw. It was just like a small crack, like the air was shattering. It couldn't be happening. It was his mind playing some sort of trick. He rubbed his eyes... That might be just one of those optical illusions, right?

Ren looked and there it was. The minor crack.

There was also something alluring to it, strangelly attractive as if it called Ren. He got up, quietly, with Nora squinting her eyes as if she was going to wake up. He felt his body stiffening, but All nora did was snore lightly and roll over to the other side. Ren sighed silently in relief before going. He... He had to see that. He didn't understand why, but all he knew was that he had to.

For a fraction of a second, so fast he barely could process it, an image crossed his mind: a beautiful girl in a white dress, staring longingly into the twilight.

He stretched out his hand and touched the crack.

And he changed. Forever.

\--x--

"Ren?", Nora's voice asked as she got up, woken by the sunlight filtered through the cracks in the tree. "Where are you?"

"Right here." Ren's voice replied, but Nora blinked a couple times, confused. It was Ren's voice, no doubt, but the intonation was a bit... off... it felt weird, but maybe they were just too busy searching for a safe place... Yeah, that might be it.

"Ren?" She asked as she went in his direction and saw him, squatted before a fire... Something smelled too... Rabbit, Nora deduced. She learned how to differentiate the scents of the mager meals they hunted. And, given how they didn't eat anything since the previous day, the rabbit meat smelled like the banquet of a king.

"Huu, gimme, gimme!" Nora said, preparing a lunge, her appetite awakened but she was completely taken aback by Ren's reaction.

"Just wait a minute." Ren said, pouting in a slightly annoyed way. That took her by surprise and Nora stopped, falling on her butt in the ground.

"Ren...?"

"It's almost ready, K-- Nora." Ren said. His tone was a bit different. Before, he was calm and polite, but now there was a light shade of annoyed, like he was running out of patience with her for some reason.

"O-okay then..." Nora said before trying to laugh it off... "He-hey, Renny, was... Was it your dad who taught you how to hunt?"

"Hm?" Ren asked, looking at Nora, puzzled. She looked into his eyes and, while Ren's eyes were a bright shade of pink, Nora swore she saw a flash of blue for a second...

For a moment.

"I... Don't know." Ren replied. For as strange as it was, he seemed confused. "I just... Had this déjà vu and everything became a blur... When I realized, I was already here..." He said. That didn't really explain things... Only a dèjà vu? Nora felt that there was something more to it but she would let it slide this time because of the goodness of her heart. That and she was too hungry to care.

"Now... Let's eat!" Nora said, feeling the drool in her mouth as Ren sighed.

"If you eat too fast it'll be bad for your health, you know?" Ren said in a flat tone, but Nora was too busy attacking her part of the meal to hear or care. For her and Ren, who, despite his own words, also ate voraciously. It was no surprise knowing that they ate only yesterday and that would have to sustain them for the entirety of the day.

It didn't take long for them to finish eating. They didn't have anything worthy of notice... Ren only had his father's dagger and Nora her toy hammer.

"Let's go, Nora." He said in a calm tone to her. "We gotta keep going... We have to reach Vale as soon as possible..."

"Y-yes..." Nora nodded before smiling. "It was incredible, Ren. The rabbit, I mean. I never ate something that good before..."

Ren smiled back at her. She saw the gentle pink on his eyes with that light flash of blue, so fast it could have been her imagination... But Nora didn't pay any heed to it. Even though she always said the same thing to all of her meals with Ren, he always smiled at her and she felt that those words, no matter when, always made things worth fighting, made them stronger and able to keep going.

If only for an ephemeral moment.

"Thanks..." Ren said... Nora could feel the heartfelt tone, the pure sincerity in his words.. That made her heart a bit warmer. "Now let's go, Nora."

And Nora didn't waste any time, following Ren as he made the way for them...

\--x--

Lost in their moment of respite, both Nora and Ren failed to notice that there was something strage with his shadow. That there was something else there.

Better saying, someone.

Anna Maria Schwagërin smiled warmly as she remained in Lie Ren's shadow, feeling a simple happiness she almost forgot that she could experience.

He was recovering his _sense of touch_.


	2. Chapter 2

_It felt like there was an ocean crushing his entire body._

_The pressure was enormous. It was as if Ren was being stepped on by the entire planet, but everyone's hopes were on his shoulders. Only he could protect everyone. It was now or never._

_The sound of metal colliding against metal was deafening. Each strike was as loud as a thunder and so strong that a regular person would be torn apart by the resulting shockwave. He moved like a child, doing little more than flay around his weapon, but that was a testament to his power: he was so strong that technique didn’t matter anymore._

_He could not hesitate as the golden spear burned the space in front of it, going straight for his heart ---- for his soul. He would never allow himself to die. If he did, everyone was doomed._

_His enemy would erase the twilight and replace it with his color. He couldn't allow it. He would never allow his Goddess to be tampered with. Her gentle color would never be painted over with the color of Gold._

_So he put his entire being into one single attack, one blow that would end the fight... There was something else he could do, but his soul was weak... And he couldn't paint over the world with his color either. His color was hell, a hell maybe worse than the dreams of Gold, for his was a cold color, one unfit to rule, when hers was gentle and pure, unlike his stagnated hell. A world forever locked in a timeless bubble._

_She wanted to embrace everyone. She, who was executed as a bloody witch, and had a soul purer and more beautiful than any other being in existence._

_His heart pounded and he felt more of himself applied to that single blow. He would cleave Gold and cheerfully vanish so she could enact her desire._

_"I want to embrace everyone."_

_He felt at peace. Indeed, death wasn't a bad ending at all knowing that the world would be safe and prosper within that embrace, her face shining in the sunlight. The bright sun was perfect for her, way better than the solitary twilight beach. It was alright. He was happy if death meant that she could envelop and protect the universe in the warmth of her embrace._

_Right, ■■■■■?_  
\--x--  
Ren snapped his eyes open. He sat on his bed and looked into the distance through his window. Beyond him, the other children slept... And he could discern Nora's light snoring in the room they were assigned to in the orphanage. It became a trend of sorts even after he touched the crack a couple years ago... He rubbed his eyes... The darkness showed it was still particularly late and he should go back to sleeping but he just couldn't. Ren couldn't explain why, but it was like his heart was being turned to mincemeat, crushed by enourmous gears that grinded and crushed his heart, leaving only a black hole in the middle of his chest, a black hole that ate his entire being away, down to his soul...

Why? Why was Ren feeling all of those things, why was he looking through the window and why was he having those dreams and memories? Sometimes, he would say the names of people he never met before or remember voices and faces of people he never saw even once in his life. Sometimes he woke uo in the middle of the night crying and sometimes would call total strangers in the streets by names of people he never knew. 

And, above everything, Ren felt like there was someone by his side, someone who cheered for him, hugged him and kept repeating that everything would be fine in the end, as if he was being hugged and protected of all evil, like the world made sense, all bad guys were punished and everyone got their happy endings. He wasn't alone. He was cared and loved. 

Something fell on his clenched fist. It was wet and warm and, after running his fingers through his cheek, Ren found out that he was crying. But... Why? Why was his heart aching so much? Why was he missing something that he never saw in his life and why he longed for people he never met? 

His mind brought back words that his mother once told him: how some people, after death, let go of the memories of their previous lives and decide to live again and thus they reincarnate. Was that the case? If so, why was Ren experiencing those memories again? Why was his chest so heavy? And why was he feeling that warmt, like he was being surrounded by an innocent, pure love? Why was he feeling like he wasn't alone?

_"It's okay, Ren."_ He swore he could hear. _"I will always be by your side."_

Ren gulped. He... He needed some air. So, as silently as he could, he got up, put his shoes and left the room, silent and quickly making his way to the rooftop... Ren couldn't quite explain why, but the rooftop felt familiar for some reason and the only place where he could relax. 

He breathed in the night air as he laid on the floor. It was hard and cold but Ren felt a familiar sense of relief there. His eyes were fixed in the stars, shining away from him, eternally beyond his grasp. There was a nostalgic feeling... And for a brief second...

_\--- There was she, smiling at him... He fell asleep on her lap, didn't he? She was illuminated by the sun... He was right after all. The sun was way more suitted to her than the twilight in the lonely golden beach._

Her green eyes looked at him with genuine affection, her golden locks enveloping her cherubic face in such a perfect way that no artist could ever hope to reproduce. His affection burned and he saw when she lowered her head, their lips almost touching...---

Ren made an olympic effort to shake his head and snap out of that vision. Who was that girl? Why was his heart beating faster? And why did he feel like he missed her, like an integral part of himself was missing?

_"I love you." Her calm expression said as she gazed at him. "I love you, Ren. And I will always be at your side."_

_"And I love you too, ■■■■■." he replied, her smile filled with genuine affection._  
  
Ren felt his eyes tearing up again. But why? Why was that happening to him? He had too many questions and didn't know where to start answering them. He... Needed her name. He needed to know the name of the girl in the beach and why she was so important to him. He breathed in. That seemed like a plan... A good, decent and reasonable plan... Maybe researching in the library would help... Yes... Ren felt his heart calming as he breathed in and reflected on his small plan... Yes... It seemed like a good plan, didn't it? He opened a little smile, more level-headed than before before once again looking at the stars up above. 

The way they twinkled made Ren yawn... Yes... He would work on his plan tomorrow... But now... 

Ren failed to notice that, when he fell asleep, he had a satisfied smile on his lips. 

  
\--x--

“Ren!” A familiar voice called. His eyes were heavy. “Ren! Ren! You gotta wake up! We will be late for school! This is our first day, remember?!”

“Hrmmm…” He groaned. He was tired, goddammit! Why couldn’t she let him sleep for a couple more minutes? She was always like this… But, down there, he enjoyed it… It was a part of his daily life, the greatest treasure that he sought to protect from everything and everyone. “Just five more minutes…”

“No way!” She replied. “We are going to be late and this won’t be well seen. Come on, Ren! Wake! Up!”

Ren felt a familiar irritation spiralling inside him, which dispelled his sleep and finally had him opening his eyes. “Okay, you won, I’m up, Kasumi!” He said with a frown on his face, having seen the face of a young woman with auburn hair and brown eyes… Before blinking and seeing the orange hair and striking blue eyes of a very confused Nora Valkyrie right in front of him.

“Ka… Sumi?”

“Sorry… I’m sorry Nora.” Ren sighed, lowering his eyes. “I guess… It was someone I saw in my dream.”

“Renny… Are you really fine?” Nora asked, with genuine concern in her voice. “I mean… Ever since that day, you’ve… Changed.” She said. “Sleepwalking, having nightmares, calling people by weird names, the nightmares… I’m… Worried, Renny.” She looked into his eyes, her expression a mix of sadness and worry. Ren wanted to punch himself… He should have paid more attention to Nora…

“Are… Are you sure you are over it?” She finally asked. There was no doubt what “it” meant. 

Kuroyuri.

“I am fine, K- Nora.” Ren quickly corrected himself. “I just think that… That I now know why I am acting this way… And I know what I have to do now…”

“Renny…” Nora said, fidgeting. “Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor? I-I mean, i-it’s completely okay to see one after all the things w-we saw that day… A-and it’s not like I’m telling you to go, I’m just worried because lately you have been behaving more and more in that weird way and I want to help you, but I don’t know how so I want you to go to a doctor because we will see why you are behaving like this a-and get you the help you need!”

Even though Nora bravely tried to act like everything was alright, Ren saw all the small details… How she looked distraught and fidgeted, how her act was forced… Maybe whoever said that “acting like yourself is the hardest role anyone had ever played” was right after all. He couldn’t remember where he read that, but the words stuck to him and now they described Nora perfectly. 

And he saw once again the image of the brown-haired girl.... And a small smile crept on his face as he felt something warm and nostalgic on his stomach… And, before he could tell, he was already hugging Nora, who blushed violently and tried muttering some excuses to let go of the hug... Before she hugged him back, her fingers digging deep into his flesh.

“Please, Renny… If there’s something wrong please, just please… Please let me help… I-I can’t endure you suffering, Renny… Not you…”

A knot formed on his throat and Ren felt like he was punched right in the gut… It hurt to see Nora so weak, so vulnerable… She was lively and strong, she was his sun. 

Just like Ka--

“I’m… I’m fine.” Ren replied, his throat getting drier and drier by the minute. “I promise you… I am completely fine, okay? So stop worrying about me. You have more important things to talk about… Like how we’re late for our first day of school.”

“Wait, Re-- Renny!” Nora said, letting go of the hug, with her liveliness restored. “We must go, now!” And, to prove that she wouldn’t take a no for an answer, she took Ren’s hand… And they rushed out of the roof.

Ren couldn’t help but laugh. 


	3. Chapter 3

Vale. Not the biggest Kingdom in Remnant, or the more scientifically advanced, but certainly the most “average” out of the four. Regular climate, natural defenses, a particularly advantageous coast and other minor amenities made Vale the Kingdom with the arguable best quality of life someone could expect in this world. Not that Atlas would particularly admit it, having the biggest GDP in Remnant and the self-proclaimed “best quality of life in Remnant.” 

That line was only true if you were rich and, preferably, not Faunus.

Ren felt the snark boil inside him as Nora looked at Vale through the windows of their Bullhead, with the other passengers doing the same. There was something strangely alluring about Vale, with its pearly white walls protecting the city from the outside. 

Like a pearl in the ocean, impossible to be corrupted. Ren smiled with the analogy. 

By the present time, not too long after he had his fifteenth birthday… Ren remembered everything. How? It didn’t matter now. 

“Ren!” Nora’s voice sounded yet again and Ren saw in his mind the image of the brown haired girl, frowning at him with her hands in her waist… “Ren! It’s so big!” Naturally, Nora wasn’t scolding him. He could count how many times Nora got genuinely upset… In one hand. 

And he would still have three spare fingers. 

“Yes Nora, it is.” He said in his usual flat tone as they left their Bullhead, with Nora enthusiastically looking around, Magnhildr in a small bag on her arms while StormFlower was duly put on its holster. Due to the long sickle-like blades, StormFlower’s holster was on Ren’s back, making his weapon form a X on Ren’s back. 

They made their way into the crowded streets of Vale, Nora holding his hand as she walked and he followed, the people making way as it was easy to recognize Huntsmen in the streets. After all, their unique clothing and openly-wielded weapons were almost a must. In case a Grimm attacked, they needed to be easily recognizable to provide respite for the people and to better reply to requests for help. 

Who’d have thought that flamboyant clothes would have a practical use? 

“Oya, this way, you sure you’re not a target? You got a literal X on your back, you know.” A relaxed voice said behind him, and Ren couldn’t resist but turn around to face whoever said such moronic words… Because Ren would recognize that voice no matter how much time has passed. His hand slipped from Nora’s as he turned, Nora losing herself in the crowd while Ren went for the alley where the owner of the voice was… Because of course he would speak from the alley, hidden in the shadows.

He was taller than him, but not by much: only if they stood side by side someone would notice. His hair was striking blonde, almost melding with his golden-brown eyes. He wore a white shirt underneath a red coat and black pants. The left sleeve was cut off to show the ostentatious tattoo on his left arm. His trademark daredevil “consequences be damned” smile was recognizable everywhere. 

“Shirou…” Ren said, the name coming out naturally from his lips, as naturally as one would breathe. Ren couldn’t help but smile. It was him, the one and only Shirou Yusa, the stupid and perverted moron who would always find a way to annoy him to no end. 

His Apoptosis. His best friend. 

“Shirou… We have to talk…” Ren said, trying to reach his best friend, who winked at him, like this was some sort of inside joke. 

“We are going to talk later… But now, you have to take care of Twitnora you know. She is a good girl. Just like Twitsumi. Don’t screw up things with her, you know?” He said in a serious tone, which was about as common for Shirou Yusa as a chicken with teeth. 

“Renny!” Nora finally reached him, with Ren turning to face the orange-haired girl. “Ren… Gods… What is wrong with you?!” Nora asked, puffing her cheeks as Shirou laughed one last time and walked into the darkened alley… “You can’t just let go of my hand and walk into a dark alley, Renny! What if a kidnapper of Renny’s appeared and took you to somewhere far and exotic, like… Vacuo?!”

“We both know that would never have happened.” Ren replied, facing Nora. “Plus, shouldn’t we be on our way to finish our enrollment in the new school?”

“Yes, but that can wait for a second.” Nora said with a teasing smile creeping up on her face. “Can you imagine how my life would be without this pretty face of yours?!”

“Hey, Nora, you know how I don’t like to hear that my face is pretty…” Damn Nora… Ren couldn’t help but feel the déjà vu of those distant days in Suwahara… 

“But it’s true, Renny!” Nora insisted. “Your face is so pretty, it look like a girl’s!”

“And this is the kind of thing that delivers a blow to a guy’s pride, Nora.” He looked at her. “You should learn how to read the mood sometimes, you know.”

“And you’re one to talk?” Nora said puffing her cheeks. “You are the most antisocial person I know, Renny!”

“Which is good, because this way the universe will balance your excessive sociability so everything can work properly.” He raised an eyebrow. “Or have you forgotten about the ice cream man?”

“He always wished us good morning and good afternoon, Renny! He wanted to be friends with us!” 

“He was just being polite because that’s his job, Nora.” Ren pointed out. “Plus, we still have the school, remember?”

“We would have taken care of that if someone didn’t stop in the middle of the street to do nothing, Renny!” Nora narrowed her eyes, like she was scolding Ren. He almost laughed… But wouldn’t let the golden chance she presented go.

“Yes Nora, you should be more considerate of the things we have to do you know?” He let out a fake sigh. “Come, you already made us very late, Nora!” Ren said before he started walking, with Nora widening her eyes for a second before following him.

“Ren! Hey, Ren! Don’t let me alone here, Ren!!”  
\--x--

The Wizard looked on Vale from the ample windows in his room, sipping the hot cocoa on his mug. Vale… A kingdom that he had a peculiarly close bond despite his deeds in previous lives in the other Kingdoms. 

After all, the Huntsmen Academies were his idea when he was the King of Vale. It was hard to not have a particular attachment to this Kingdom, specially when Vale embodied everything Ozpin envisioned when he created the Four Kingdoms. 

Joy. Resistance. Kindness. Endurance. Tenacity. Hope. 

The headmaster smiled as his eyes swept the city, his left hand resting upon The Long Memory’s handle, almost feeling the light tickle of its gears… 

“Headmaster.” The serious voice of his coworker and member of his inner circle, Glynda Goodwitch, made Ozpin aware of her presence, but he still gazed at Vale down below. 

“Yes, Glynda?” Ozpin asked.

“Here is the information of the students who are going to attempt Initiation this year.” She replied. The sound of paper rustling left no doubt that it was physical files.

Oh, paperwork. Six thousand years and he still didn’t get used to it… 

“I want to ask you a question, Glynda.” Ozpin said, in an almost sudden way. “When you look at Vale… What do you see?”

“I see… People.” Glynda replied. “People struggling to get by, people fighting in many different ways to protect themselves and the ones they care about… But they are weak and so we have the duty to protect them, because, in the end, it’s them who matter… It’s them. It’s because of the people that we do it. They are the future, Ozpin…”

A small smile crept on Ozpin’s face as he looked. That was true, he thought as he sipped his mug. It was for them. The small people that didn’t care who was in power as long as they could live their lives and feed their families. Small, yes, but wasn’t there in smallness and simplicity that true happiness lived?

And, as sudden as a slap to the face, Ozpin had fallen to his knees, his mug shattering. 

“Ozpin!” Glynda exclaimed, rushing to help the Headmaster get on his feet. “Are you feeling well? What happened?”

“I…” Ozpin began. His eyes seemed confused and lost. “I don’t know why, Glynda… But, for a fraction of second I felt a presence… Right here, in Vale…” He gulped. The vice-headmistress was celarly tense… She never saw Ozpin like that. Hesitating. Lost. Confused. “It was… Glynda… I… You know the truth… I saw them, the Brother Gods…”

“Yes… Yes I do.” Glynda nodded as Ozpin got back on his feet, taking his cane. “But… What does that have to do with anything else?” She said before her face became white. “Do you think that… That Salem got the Relics and is coming to Vale, to claim the Relic of Choice?” The last part came out in an urgent whisper… 

  
“No… I doubt it.” Ozpin answered. “James and Leonardo would surely have told us something about an attack… And even Theodore wouldn’t be able to remain radio silent as he has been for a while.” The Headmaster shook his head. “This is something else, Glynda…”

“What? Then what is it, Ozpin?!” She snapped. “What did you feel?”

“Back then… When there was still Magic on Remnant…” Ozpin began. “It was easy for someone to feel certain things. People with great magical power could be sensed by those who knew Magic as well… It’s something you acquire with training, you see… I had forgotten given how few are the ones able to use Magic besides me, Salem and the Maidens, Glynda…”

“And do you think that this is it?” The vice-headmistress asked. “Someone who can also use Magic? Another wizard?”

“No… It’s something far bigger.” The headmaster said, looking at the window, his expression inexpugnable. “This sense… It also allowed someone to sense far bigger entities… I remember to this day the presences of the Brother Gods… And Glynda…”

Ozpin turned, his face contorted in a scowl.

“This presence… Was far bigger and stronger than the Brother Gods combined.”


End file.
